Flanno-gooooooone?
Shane Flanagan is set to become the second NRL coach to lose his job in the opening seven rounds, after the Dragons were left with little choice following 11-straight defeats.
Shane Flanagan’s time at the Dragons will come to an end as early as Monday. It is understood the Dragons will hold an emergency press conference in Wollonogng on Monday morning, however Flanagan’s fate has already been decided.
It is unclear if he will coach the side one last time against the Roosters on Anzac Day.
Flanagan met with St George Illawarra chairman Andrew Lancaster on Sunday after his side slumped to their 11th straight loss dating back to last year.
The premiership-winning mentor has been unable to turn the tide resulting in him parting ways with the club.
He had been in charge since 2024 and re-signed for a further two years last year. He had not yet started his new deal.
The Dragons board will meet formally on Tuesday.
Flanagan becomes the second coach already this season to be relieved of his duties after Manly sacked Anthony Seibold last month.
The Sea Eagles have had a resurgence under interim head coach
Kieran Foran, winning three straight games with the former five-eighth in charge.
The Dragons face the Sydney Roosters in the annual Anzac Day clash on Saturday. They’ll go into that clash without forward Jaydn Su’A, who was, on Sunday morning, hit with a three-game suspension for a high shot on Souths’ Cameron Murray.
St George Illawarra have had a winless start to the season, going down 30-12 to South Sydney on Saturday night in their seventh loss of 2026.
“Of course it puts pressure on. It puts me and the club under pressure,” Flanagan said in the post-match press conference.
“We’re not winning footy games and I understand that. It’s a business of winning and we’re not winning.
“I get to work every day and all I can do is do my best to prepare the players the best I can, and if it doesn’t work and they decide to make another decision, well I’ve just got to live with it.”
When asked what the players could do to help their coach, captain Damien Cook said: “He’s done everything he can. It’s up to us.”
The Dragons weren’t helped when starting hooker Jacob Liddle suffered a hamstring injury in the warm-up and was a late withdrawal.
“When things are going bad, they’re going bad,” Flanagan said.
“It was a plan to give Lids a start and when things are going bad, they sure do.”
Flanagan, 60, has coached 11 seasons in the NRL, the highlight being guiding Cronulla to their first premiership in 2016.
